Big Cat Week is finally here!
Nat Geo WILD's fourth annual tribute to the great cats starts Friday, Nov. 29 with a slew of features that hope to shed light on the growing threats many of these predators face. One of the highlights of the week will be the film "Game of Lions," featuring famed National Geographic Explorers-In-Residence Derek and Beverly Joubert. The film delves into the dwindling number of lions left on the planet and their fight to stay alive, both among themselves and encroaching humanity.
Take a look at some stunning photos from Beverly Joubert below, and tune in to see "Game of Lions" on Dec. 1 at 10 p.m. EST.
Check back on Sunday for an interview with the Jouberts about the making of the film -- for a full lineup, head on over to the Big Cat Week website.
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A sleepy young sub adult male in Duba Plains in the Okavango Delta.
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A dispute between a lioness and an adult male lion in the Okavango Delta in Botswana.
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An adolescent male lion is chased away by a herd of buffalo while attempting to hunt in the Okavango Delta.
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Adolescent male lion lays on the ground near a restless buffalo herd who are agitated by his presence. He has been attempting to hunt but hasn't perfected his skills. This was taken in the Okavango Delta in Botswana.
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Two young nomads fight over a kill they made in the water in the Okavango Delta in Botswana.
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An adolescent male lion sits in the grasslands of the Okavango Delta in Botswana at sunset.
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A mature male runs in and chases a young sub adult male out of his pride and out of the territory.
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A mature territorial male patrols his territory in the Duba Plains area of the Okavango Delta in Botswana.
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A mature male lion surveys his territory in Duba Plains in the Okavango Delta in Botswana.
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A lioness yawns against a stormy sky in the Masai Mara in Kenya. This is the lioness with the cubs in the film.
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A young sub adult male lion (Panthera Leo) around 3 years old investigating a warthog hole in Duba Plains in the Okavango Delta in Botswana.
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A portrait shot of a young sub adult male lion (Panthera Leo) around 3 years old at Duba plains in the Okavango Delta in Botswana.
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Two young male cubs play on a branch in the Masai Mara in Kenya.
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Two young male cubs play on a branch in the Masai Mara in Kenya.
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Two different ages of young male cubs, one 5 months old and the other two about 2 1/2, playing together. This kind of play helps the cubs learn some skills in hunting for later in life.
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A young male cub sitting high up on one of the rocky hills in the Masai Mara. This cub is about 5 months old.
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An adolescent male is investigating a lion cub of a lioness from his pride. The investigation happens while the female is not around and so she is not there to protect the cub when it gets rough between the other adolescent male lions who all want to investigate the young cub.
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Three sub-adult males about 2 1/2 years old, one of which is sharpening his claws against a tree in the Masai Mara in Kenya.
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An adolescent male is investigating a lion cub of a lioness from his pride. He follows the cub around and sometimes the investigating becomes rough, especially with other adolescents around. The mother is not around to protect the cub and so it is very vulnerable. This image was taken in the Masai Mara in Kenya.
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A two week old lion cub is half submerged in water as it clings on for its life on the bank of a river which it fell into while trying to escape from sub male adult lions in the Masai Mara Kenya. It's sibling clutches to a branch just out of frame.
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A lioness rescues her lion cub from the bank of a river and carries him away to safety in her mouth. This shot was taken in the Masai Mara in Kenya.
![lion22]()
A lioness rescues her lion cub from the bank of a river and carries him away to safety in her mouth. This shot was taken in Masai Mara in Kenya.
![lion23]()
Three sub adult males, around 2 1/2 years old, stand together. They are very close to the stage of getting ousted from their pride, meaning they will be nomadic for a few years until they are old enough to challenge a territorial male. This is a tough time for adolescent males as they are incredibley vulnerable and only 1 in 7 normally survive.
Nat Geo WILD's fourth annual tribute to the great cats starts Friday, Nov. 29 with a slew of features that hope to shed light on the growing threats many of these predators face. One of the highlights of the week will be the film "Game of Lions," featuring famed National Geographic Explorers-In-Residence Derek and Beverly Joubert. The film delves into the dwindling number of lions left on the planet and their fight to stay alive, both among themselves and encroaching humanity.
Take a look at some stunning photos from Beverly Joubert below, and tune in to see "Game of Lions" on Dec. 1 at 10 p.m. EST.
Check back on Sunday for an interview with the Jouberts about the making of the film -- for a full lineup, head on over to the Big Cat Week website.
A sleepy young sub adult male in Duba Plains in the Okavango Delta.
A dispute between a lioness and an adult male lion in the Okavango Delta in Botswana.
An adolescent male lion is chased away by a herd of buffalo while attempting to hunt in the Okavango Delta.
Adolescent male lion lays on the ground near a restless buffalo herd who are agitated by his presence. He has been attempting to hunt but hasn't perfected his skills. This was taken in the Okavango Delta in Botswana.
Two young nomads fight over a kill they made in the water in the Okavango Delta in Botswana.
An adolescent male lion sits in the grasslands of the Okavango Delta in Botswana at sunset.
A mature male runs in and chases a young sub adult male out of his pride and out of the territory.
A mature territorial male patrols his territory in the Duba Plains area of the Okavango Delta in Botswana.
A mature male lion surveys his territory in Duba Plains in the Okavango Delta in Botswana.
A lioness yawns against a stormy sky in the Masai Mara in Kenya. This is the lioness with the cubs in the film.
A young sub adult male lion (Panthera Leo) around 3 years old investigating a warthog hole in Duba Plains in the Okavango Delta in Botswana.
A portrait shot of a young sub adult male lion (Panthera Leo) around 3 years old at Duba plains in the Okavango Delta in Botswana.
Two young male cubs play on a branch in the Masai Mara in Kenya.
Two young male cubs play on a branch in the Masai Mara in Kenya.
Two different ages of young male cubs, one 5 months old and the other two about 2 1/2, playing together. This kind of play helps the cubs learn some skills in hunting for later in life.
A young male cub sitting high up on one of the rocky hills in the Masai Mara. This cub is about 5 months old.
An adolescent male is investigating a lion cub of a lioness from his pride. The investigation happens while the female is not around and so she is not there to protect the cub when it gets rough between the other adolescent male lions who all want to investigate the young cub.
Three sub-adult males about 2 1/2 years old, one of which is sharpening his claws against a tree in the Masai Mara in Kenya.
An adolescent male is investigating a lion cub of a lioness from his pride. He follows the cub around and sometimes the investigating becomes rough, especially with other adolescents around. The mother is not around to protect the cub and so it is very vulnerable. This image was taken in the Masai Mara in Kenya.
A two week old lion cub is half submerged in water as it clings on for its life on the bank of a river which it fell into while trying to escape from sub male adult lions in the Masai Mara Kenya. It's sibling clutches to a branch just out of frame.
A lioness rescues her lion cub from the bank of a river and carries him away to safety in her mouth. This shot was taken in the Masai Mara in Kenya.
A lioness rescues her lion cub from the bank of a river and carries him away to safety in her mouth. This shot was taken in Masai Mara in Kenya.
Three sub adult males, around 2 1/2 years old, stand together. They are very close to the stage of getting ousted from their pride, meaning they will be nomadic for a few years until they are old enough to challenge a territorial male. This is a tough time for adolescent males as they are incredibley vulnerable and only 1 in 7 normally survive.